The Relationship between Social Networks and Smartphones

If you missed me at Scholar Day, here’s the whirlwind tour of my 3 semester-long research study.

The Lit Review Highlights

Smartphones:

From 2007 to 2008 smartphone ownership in the U.S. increased 70%

Smartphones have processing power much like computers, run applications and are GPS equipped

Smartphones drive a need for real-time information

Social Networks:

Facebook usage doubled in 2008, Twitter is the fastest growing website in the U.S.

Social networks are culturally valued tools for engagement with the world

Social networks are a new method of information distribution

Social Networks Meet Smartphones:

Social networks allow for wireless up-to-the second information

Smartphones let users upload on social networks without using the website

Smartphone Examples:

– iPhone

– BlackBerry

– Android

– Windows Mobile

Social Network Examples:

– Facebook

– Twitter

– LinkedIn

– Google Buzz

– Foursquare

– MySpace

– Yelp

Methods

Research was conducted through a survey, distributed on social networks. The survey questions explored social networking habits, smartphone usage, satisfaction and how they relate according to the user.

Findings

240 people were surveyed

Most popular social network: Facebook

Most popular smartphone: Android

Interesting Results:

– 15.6% of smartphone users check into locations using the GPS

– 98.7% connect with friends

– 78.5% connect with family

– 45.9% follow a brand, company or organization

– 50.8% do not consider every connection to be a friend

Some Discussion

Smartphone ownership did not affect the overall user satisfaction

Smartphone users would recommend the use of smartphones to others

Seeing another user update from a smartphone does not make them look sophisticated

No one pays attention to the phone their friends use on social networks

Limitations of this research:

Mostly female respondents

Timing and the Verizon iPhone release (Verizon iPhone was released half-way through the survey period)

This is all really interesting. I remember being puzzled by the question about what I thought of the phones my friends used to check in on social networks… I don’t think I had ever even noticed until the survey pointed it out!

I know for me one of the “motivators” for using GPS-related apps is to compete with family and friends. I routinely check in to my parents’ house on FourSquare so I can be the mayor… it drives my mom crazy!